Defeat the Bloodcursed Lithopod mini-boss in the ravine southeast of the Gloomshade Grove Beacon to claim the Citadel Gate Lever, then carry it back to the mechanism beside the Citadel Gate and slot it in to open the Citadel of Penance permanently.
The Citadel of Penance sits sealed in the western reaches of Fainweald, and its main gate stays shut until you replace the missing lever a thief dragged off into the ravine below. That thief is the Bloodcursed Lithopod, a hulking stone-crab mini-boss that drops the Citadel Gate Lever when it falls. Get it, bring it back, and the gate opens for good.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Dropped by | Bloodcursed Lithopod (mini-boss) |
| Nearest beacon | Gloomshade Grove Beacon |
| Location | Coastal ravine southeast of the beacon, south of the Citadel Gate |
| Unlocks | Main gate to the Citadel of Penance (permanent) |
How to find and use the Citadel Gate Lever in Mortal Shell 2
The whole run is one loop out of the Gloomshade Grove Beacon — down into the ravine for the lever, then back up to the gate to install it.
STEP 1/8
Set out from the Gloomshade Grove Beacon
Open your map at the Gloomshade Grove Beacon, then start down the path that drops toward the patch of water below it.
STEP 2/8
Descend into the ravine
Follow the trail down the cliffside, dropping across the grassy ledges as you keep to the single route toward the shoreline.
STEP 3/8
Cross to the boss arena
Use the pale bone structure to bridge the broken gap, then continue along the coastal ledge past the campfire toward the open rocky field.
STEP 4/8
Defeat the Bloodcursed Lithopod
The mini-boss waits behind a large rock — a much bigger version of the stone-crab enemy that leaps into the air and crashes down, so dodge its slams and punish it in the gaps.
STEP 5/8
Collect the Citadel Gate Lever
The lever does not add itself automatically, so loot it manually from where the Lithopod fell before you leave the ravine.
STEP 6/8
Return to the beacon and take the cave route
Fast-travel back to the Gloomshade Grove Beacon and follow the adjacent cave passage out toward the gate, cutting down the armored knight standing guard at the entrance.
STEP 7/8
Read the note and slot in the lever
Check the warning note posted on the wall — it explains the lever was stolen and dragged into the ravine — then interact with the mechanism beside the gate to install it.
STEP 8/8
Open the Citadel of Penance
Pull the installed lever; “A gate has lifted.” appears and the main gate stays open permanently.
Downing the Bloodcursed Lithopod also opens the nearby Ravaged Hideout dungeon, so clear it in the same trip instead of trekking all the way back down here later.
Video help
What opening the Citadel of Penance unlocks next
Key The lever is the intended, permanent way in. There is also a hidden one-off teleport that can drop you straight inside, but it never opens the main gate, so it only works as a temporary shortcut — for normal exploration the lever is still the route you want.
Once the gate is up, head in and activate the inner Citadel Beacon on the right for fast travel and a respawn point. It is also worth knowing that this same Bloodcursed Lithopod encounter feeds into unlocking the Eredim shell, so the one fight does double duty.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can you enter the Citadel of Penance without the Citadel Gate Lever?
Yes, but only through a hidden one-off teleport, and it will not raise the main gate for you — you can even find it awkward to get back out once you are inside. For anything beyond a quick sequence break, grab the lever so the entrance stays open behind you.
Is the Citadel Gate Lever missable, and does the gate stay open once used?
No, it is not missable — it drops from the Bloodcursed Lithopod, a required mini-boss sitting right on the path down, though you do have to loot it by hand after the kill. Once it is slotted into the wall mechanism the gate stays open for the rest of your playthrough, so you never need to repeat the fight or reopen it after resting or dying.
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